Hamas kills nine IDF soldiers and a combat engineer in Gaza

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the deaths of nine soldiers and a combat engineer during an ambush by Hamas terrorists inside the Gaza Strip. The total number of Israeli military casualties has risen to 115.

The nine dead soldiers belonged to the Golani Brigade, a unit of the Air Force. Two of them were senior officers; Several other officers were also among the casualties.

The victims are Colonel Itzhak Ben Basat (the highest ranking IDF member to have died in the war against Hamas), Lieutenant Colonel Tomer Grinberg, Major Roei Meldasi, Major Moshe Avram Bar On, Lieutenant Colonel Tomer Grinberg, Major Moshe Avram Bar On, Corporal Liel Hayo, Sergeant Achia Daskal, Sergeant Eran Aloni, Major Ben Shelly and Sergeant First Class Rom Hecht. Another Israeli fighter, Sergeant Oriya Yaakov, was killed in another attack in northern Gaza.

After the casualties were notified, an investigation was initiated to clarify the facts. The IDF determined that four Israeli soldiers from the Golani Brigade, entered an apparently abandoned building to carry out a search. Upon entering, the terrorists detonated an explosive and then began shooting at them from outside.

Immediately afterwards, the rest of the brigade went to access the interior to help their colleagues, however, contact with them was suddenly lost. The IDF high command responded by sending a support group as the exchange of fire between both sides continued.